The Effects of Sport on Levels of Mindfulness and Experiences of Flow:

The area of research that will be of focal concern is conscious awareness in relation to the concept of ‘mindfulness’. In addition to this, analogous research surrounding the topic area will be integrated, with particular attention being paid to an important aspect of sport psychology known as ‘flow’. Mindfulness has its roots in ancient spiritual traditions, namely Buddhism (Keng, Smoski, & Robins, 2011), and is commonly defined as â€Å"the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding experience moment by moment† (Kabat-Zinn, 2003, p. 145). Definitions like the preceding are common in contemporary literature, however many authors have suggested that mindfulness is a somewhat elusive construct and that defining it in concrete terms is difficult (Brown & Ryan, 2004). It was recognised that the word ‘mindfulness’ had been used in array of contexts to describe a psychological trait, a state of awareness, in addition to a meditative practice, which together leave the concept ambiguous in nature. In an attempt to clarify its meaning, Bishop et al (2004) proposed a two-component operational definition, with the first component involving the self-regulation of attention, and the second involving the adoption of an open, curious, accepting awareness of experiences in the present moment (Anderson, Lau, Segal, & Bishop, 2007). ‘Being mindful’ can therefore be contrasted with ‘being mindless’ or ‘being on automatic pilot’, and is predominantly characterised by sustained attention on the present-moment experience (Keng, Smoski, & Robins, 2011). The relevance of the application and integration of mindfulness into psychological theory, and subsequently into practice (Sh... ...enhancement. Journal of Clinical Sports Psychology, 4, 291-302. Morgan, B. G. (2010). Review: Psychological skills training as a way to enhance an athlete’s performance in high-intensity sports. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 20(2), 78-87. Shapiro, S. L. (2009). The integration of mindfulness and psychology. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(6), 555-560. The Melbourne Academic Mindfulness Interest Group. (2009). Mindfulness-based psychotherapies: A review of conceptual foundations, empirical evidence and practical considerations. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 40, 285-294. Thompson, R. W., Kaufman, K. A., De Petrillo, L. A., Glass, C. R., & Arnkoff, D. B. (2011). One year follow-up of mindful sport performance enhancement (MSPE) with archers, golfers, and runners. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 5, 99-116.